WASHINGTON D.C.  Amidst troubling reports of Obamacare navigators urging consumers in Texas to lie on their applications in order to qualify for greater federal subsidies, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today wrote to President Obama demanding he terminate the troubled Navigator program. In the letter Sen. Cornyn also points to recent sworn testimony by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in which she admitted to Sen. Cornyn that due to a lack of criminal background checks, it is possible taxpayer-funded navigators, who handle consumers personal and confidential information, could in fact be convicted felons. The full text of the letter is below.

In August 2013, Health and Human Services (HHS) distributed a total of $67 million in taxpayer funded grants to 105 organizations for the creation of navigator programs. As mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), navigators are to provide education and enrollment assistance to individuals in 34 states enrolling through the federal exchange. Navigator programs are responsible for hiring, training and certifying navigators to assist Americans purchasing insurance on the federal exchange. However, the Administration established only minimal federal requirements for individuals who could be certified as navigators.

During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on health insurance exchanges, Secretary Sebelius acknowledged that there were no federal requirements that navigators undergo a criminal background check and agreed it was possible for navigators to be convicted felons. According to the HHS Navigator Standard Operating Procedures Manual, as navigators assist individuals with enrolling on the exchanges they will have access to consumers personally identifiable information, such as date of birth, social security number, and tax information. Recent news reports have revealed navigators with criminal backgrounds have been certified calling into question the safety of vulnerable Americans personal information as they attempt to comply with the law.

Reports have also recently surfaced of navigators encouraging individuals to misreport their taxable income in order to receive higher subsidies than they are legally eligible to receive. These navigators are not only condoning tax fraud, they are actively encouraging consumers to illegally obtain federal health care subsidies and defraud American taxpayers.

Given these concerns, I ask that you bring an end to the troubled navigator program. Americans must be protected, and this program should stop before any more harm is done.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN

United State Senator

Senator Cornyn serves on the Finance and Judiciary Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committees Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

Simply defund it, Senator. Thats YOUR job. To hades with Obama. Just change it, delete it, put it to a vote, etc. Obamas not changing anything.
*****************************************
Cornyn is in no position to defund anything. The dispicable Harry Reid decides what he will bring to the Senate floor for votes. ......Besides, all funding must originate in the House.

I’m a nobody Tech Instructor from Central Texas, not a millionaire, more conservative than Ted Cruz, a firm believer in the Constitution and the ideals upon which it was founded, a heterosexual, a FR news junky, and I don’t abide liberals.

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.